1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sunroof apparatus and a sunroof lid lifting apparatus for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A sunroof apparatus for a vehicle according to prior art is disclosed in, for instance, the Japanese Patent No. 59-128012. The sunroof apparatus disclosed therein can be moved from a fully closed position to an upwardly tilted position, whereby the roof of the vehicle may be opened and closed roof is raised. The sunroof apparatus is also moveable from a downwardly tilted state, in which the rear end of the lid enters the vehicle interior, to a fully opened state which is attained by sliding the lid. On a lower surface of the lid, guide plates are arranged. Each has ends fitted to a front portion of the lid and to a portion slightly rearward from the center of the lid, respectively. From a rear end of each guide plate to approximately the center thereof, a guide groove tilts forwardly.
The vehicle body includes rails arranged in a longitudinal direction on both sides of a roof opening. Movable members are disposed on the rails respectively. These movable members are provided with guide pins which engage the guide grooves of the guide plates.
By moving the movable members forward, the guide pins are moved in the guide grooves to raise the rear end of the lid, thereby bringing the lid into the upwardly tilted state.
According to such a prior art sunroof apparatus for a vehicle, however, the guide pins are moved together with the movable members to a position in front of the center of the lid as it is tilted upwardly. Therefore, the lid in the upwardly tilted position is supported by its front end portion which is a pivotal center of the lid, and by the guide pins which have been moved to the front side of the center of the lid. Namely, the lid is supported like a cantilever to cause the lid to be rattled by vibration during the vehicle running. Therefore, the rigidity of the lid is not secured.
A lid lifting apparatus for the sunroof according to the prior art has movable shoes which are slid forward or backward to raise or lower the rear end of the lid. The movable shoes are provided with guide grooves which engage with guide pins formed on links for supporting one end of the lid.
Each of the guide grooves comprises a guide portion for full close, a guide portion for upward tilt, and a guide portion for downward tilt. When the movable shoes are slid forward or backward to put the guide pins into the guide portion for full close, the lid is fully closed. When the guide pins are brought to the guide portion for upward tilt, the rear end of the lid is raised to bring the lid into the upwardly tilted state, while, if the guide pins are brought to the guide portion for downward tilt, the lid is put in the downwardly tilted state in which the lid is lowered below a position taken by the lid under the fully closed state.
As described in the above, the guide pins of the links are moved along the guide grooves of the movable shoes so that the links and the movable shoes move relative to each other.
According to the prior art, fitting holes corresponding to the guide grooves are formed on the links, and the guide pins are inserted from the side of the links and passed through the holes and the grooves. Since the fitting work is carried out inside the lid, construction and repair becomes more difficult. If the guide grooves are provided with insertion grooves open toward the outside, the insertion may easily be carried out, but the guide grooves shall partly be cut by the insertion grooves so that the strength and the rigidity of the guide grooves may be reduced.